A few airmass thunderstorms developed over western North Carolina during the afternoon hours. One of the storms caused wind damage in the piedmont.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS GSP wrote it up.
A few airmass thunderstorms developed over western North Carolina during the afternoon hours. One of the storms caused wind damage in the piedmont.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 24, 1:17 PM EST, 1 hour 19 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 217 PM EDT SUN JUL 24 2011 .SYNOPSIS... AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE ATOP THE REGION WILL CONTINUE TO GIVE WAY TO A WEAK LOW PRESSURE TROUGH THROUGH MONDAY. THIS TROUGH ALONG WITH A PUSH OF DRIER AIR WILL LINGER INTO TUESDAY. STRONG RIDGING ALOFT WILL REBUILD OVER THE AREA AS THE WEEK WEARS ON. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH MONDAY/... CONVECTION HAS FORMED ALONG THE ESCARPMENT AND IS DRIFTING SLOWLY SOUTHEAST IN THE WEAK DEEP LAYER NORTHWEST WIND FLOW. ISOLATED CONVECTION HAS FORMED EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS WITH A NEARLY STATIONARY AREA OF PRECIPITATION JUST NORTHEAST OF CHARLOTTE. THIS SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO WEAK SURFACE CONVERGENCE ASSOCIATED WITH THE LEE TROUGH. THUS... EXPECT THE PRECIPITATION TO CONTINUE IN THE SAME AREA THROUGH MID AFTERNOON BECAUSE THE TROUGH ITSELF WILL REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY. CAPES AND LI ACROSS ENTIRE AREA CAN SUPPORT CONVECTION BUT THERE IS NO WELL-DEFINED LOW-LEVEL FEATURE TO FOCUS ATTENTION ON A PARTICULAR AREA. HIGHER TERRAIN... OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES... AND THE LEE TROUGH WILL BE AREAS TO MONITOR. OVERNIGHT... CONVECTION WILL DECREASE... BUT SOUNDINGS SHOW SMALL AMOUNTS OF CAPE LINGERING. CAN'T RULE OUT NOCTURNAL SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AIR MASS PERSISTING OVER THE AREA. SPC SREF THUNDERSTORMS GUIDANCE IS ALSO CARRYING SMALL CHANCES WELL INTO THE NIGHT. DURING MONDAY... NAM AND GFS BOTH INDICATE FAIRLY DEEP MOISTURE IN ADVANCE OF SURFACE COLD FRONT THAT IS APPROACHING FROM THE NORTHWEST. WILL INCREASE POPS ACCORDING DURING THE DAY WITH LIKELY POPS BY LATE AFTERNOON. COMBINATION OF SLIGHTLY LOWER THICKNESS AND DEEPER MOISTURE WILL HOLD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES BELOW HEAT ADVISORY THRESHOLD. RECENT HISTORY OF METMOS BEING BEST MAX TEMPERATURE GUIDANCE WILL BE FOLLOWED. HAVE BLENDED THAT WITH THE EXISTING FORECAST FOR MONDAY TEMPERATURES. && .SHORT TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 210 PM SUNDAY...SINCE THERE LOOKS TO BE SOME OP MODEL DISCREPANCY WITH REGARDS TO THE DEGREE OF SOUTHWARD PENETRATION OF ANY DEEP LAYER DRYING...GOING TO HAVE TO MAINTAIN CHANCE POPS INTO EARLY TUESDAY CWFAWIDE...COINCIDENT WITH THE LLVL FRONTAL ZONE MOVEMENT. THE 09Z SREF ACTUALLY SUPPORTS THE NAM SOLUTION IN PLUNGING BELOW NORMAL PWAT VALUES ACRS WESTERN NC THRU THE DAY ON TUESDAY. DESPITE THIS...GIVEN THE POTENTIAL FOR LINGERING WEAK INSTABILITY...AS PER THE SREF PROBABILITIES...GOING TO HAVE TO MAINTAIN SLIGHT CHANCE POP EVEN ALONG THE NORTHERN FRINGE OF THE CWFA...AND A SHOTGUN POP ELSEWHERE. DESPITE 2-4 DEG F SPREAD IN THE LATEST MOS MAX TEMPS...A BLEND WILL BE SUFFICIENT FOR NOW RESULTING IN A FCST OF 1-2 DEG F ABOVE CLIMO. AFOREMENTIONED LLVL FRONTAL ZONE IS PROGGED TO BE STALLED IN OR NEAR THE SOUTHERN CWFA THRU WEDNESDAY AND THERE IS SOME OP/ENSEMBLE MODEL SUPPORT OF A WEAK SOUTHERLY LLVL FLOW DEVELOPING. IT STILL LOOKS LIKE WESTERN NC WILL BE EXPERIENCING BELOW CLIMO PWAT VALUES AND WITH THE 09 UTC SREF PROBABILITIES OF CAPE VALUES ABOVE 500 J/KG DIPPING BELOW 50 PERCENT...FEEL THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN POP BELOW SLIGHT CHANCE FOR THIS AREA AND JUST A TOKEN ISOLATED CHANCE ELSEWHERE. WITH THE UPWARD TICK IN PROGGED 100-85H THICKNESS VALUES...HAVE WARMED MAX TEMPS A FEW DEG F ABOVE TUESDAY/S READINGS. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 1155 AM EDT SUNDAY...THE OPERATIONAL GFS AND ECMWF AS WELL AS THE GFS ENSEMBLE ALL AGREE THAT THE DEEP LAYER WILL RIDGE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION ON THU...AND REMAIN THROUGH SAT. THERE CONTINUES TO BE A WEAKNESS IN THE RIDGE OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY...BUT NOTHING IN THE MODELS INDICATE THAT THE MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FEATURE WILL MAKE IT AS FAR EAST AS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA. EACH DAY SHOULD SEE MAX TEMPS BETWEEN 95 AND 100 OUT ACROSS THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT AND FROM 85 TO 90 ACROSS THE NC MTNS. WELL BELOW CLIMO CONVECTIVE COVERAGE IS EXPECTED...WITH MOST TSTM ACTIVITY CONFINED TO THE MTNS AS WELL AS ALONG ANY WEAK LEE TROUGHING THAT DEVELOPS ACROSS THE FOOTHILLS. THERE IS PRETTY GOOD MODEL AGREEMENT THAT AN ERN CONUS LONG WAVE TROUGH WILL AMPLIFY ON SUN AS THE DEEP LAYER RIDGE BUILDS BACK ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND NRN PLAINS. IF THIS COMES TO PASS...TEMPS WILL MODERATE SOME ON SUNDAY WITH BETTER CHANCES FOR RAIN. HOWEVER...IT/S GENERALLY NOT A GOOD IDEA TO PLACE MUCH STOCK IN A DAY 7 MODEL FROPA IN THE SUMMER. && .AVIATION /18Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AT KCLT... SCATTERED TO BROKEN CU AND TCU WITH BASES BETWEEN 4K AND 6K FT WILL PERSIST. ISOLATED TO WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE IN THE AREA UNTIL AFTER 00Z... BUT NOT SURE IF THUNDER WILL AFFECT THE AIRFIELD. AFTER 00Z SCATTERED TO BROKEN CLOUDS 4K TO 6K WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT. SMALL CHANCE VISIBILITY WILL LOWER TO AROUND 5 MILES IN HAZE NEAR SUNRISE... BUT WILL NOT INCLUDE IN TAF AT THIS TIME. IF RAIN OCCURS AT THE TERMINAL... CHANCE OF EARLY MORNING VISIBILITY RESTRICTION WILL INCREASE. SURFACE WIND SOUTHWEST AT LESS THAN 10 KT WILL BECOME LIGHT AND VARIABLE AFTER 00Z. ELSEWHERE... SCATTERED TO BROKEN CU AND TCU WITH BASES BETWEEN 4K AND 6K FT WILL PERSIST. ISOLATED TO WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOST NUMEROUS UNTIL DIMINISHING AFTER 00Z. THUNDERSTORMS MOST NUMEROUS VICINITY KAVL...AND KHKY. SURFACE WIND GENERALLY SOUTHWEST LESS THAN 10 KT ALTHOUGH OCCASIONAL NORTH WIND AT 10 KT AT KAVL. VISIBILITY RESTRICTED IN FOG DURING EARLY MORNING IN AREAS WHERE RAIN OCCURS THIS EVENING. THUNDERSTORMS COVERAGE WILL INCREASE VICINITY KAVL... KGSP... AND KHKY BY 18Z MONDAY. OUTLOOK...PERSISTENT UPPER LEVEL RIDGE AND SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL BE THE DOMINANT FEATURES ACROSS THE REGION. GENERALLY VFR WEATHER EXPECTED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MORNING FOG AND HAZE VISIBILITY RESTRICTION AND ISOLATED TO WIDELY SCATTERED AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS. AN EXPERIMENTAL AVIATION FORECAST CONSISTENCY TABLE SHOWING THE PERCENTAGE OF GUIDANCE MEMBERS AGREEING WITH THE SCHEDULED ISSUANCE CATEGORY IS AVAILABLE AT FOLLOWING LINK (USE LOWER CASE)... WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GSP/AVIATION/TABLES.HTM && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. NC...NONE. SC...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...CSH NEAR TERM...LGL SHORT TERM...CSH LONG TERM...MCAVOY AVIATION...LGL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 552 AM EDT SUN JUL 24 2011 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-251000- RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-AVERY-ALEXANDER- IREDELL-DAVIE-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-SWAIN-HAYWOOD-BUNCOMBE-CATAWBA- ROWAN-GRAHAM-NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA- HENDERSON-CLEVELAND-LINCOLN-GASTON-MECKLENBURG-CABARRUS-UNION NC- CALDWELL MOUNTAINS-GREATER CALDWELL-BURKE MOUNTAINS-GREATER BURKE- MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS-EASTERN MCDOWELL-RUTHERFORD MOUNTAINS- GREATER RUTHERFORD-POLK MOUNTAINS-EASTERN POLK-OCONEE MOUNTAINS- PICKENS MOUNTAINS-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-GREATER OCONEE- GREATER PICKENS-GREATER GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG-CHEROKEE-YORK- ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE-LAURENS-UNION SC-CHESTER-GREENWOOD- 552 AM EDT SUN JUL 24 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE IN THE FORECAST TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE MAIN HAZARDS FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE. 07
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1256 PM EDT SUN JUL 24 2011
NCZ501-241730-
CALDWELL MOUNTAINS-
1256 PM EDT SUN JUL 24 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHWESTERN CALDWELL COUNTY
THROUGH 130 PM EDT...
AT 1251 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BLOWING ROCK...MOVING EAST
AT 5 MPH. ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR THE AVERY COUNTY
LINE. THIS STORM WAS ALSO MOVING SLOWLY TO THE EAST.
WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
HEAVY RAINS MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND
UNDERPASSES. AVOID THESE AREAS AND DO NOT CROSS FLOODED ROADS. WATER
LEVELS OF SMALL STREAMS AND RIVERS MAY ALSO RISE...THEREFORE SEEK
HIGHER GROUND IF THREATENED BY FLOOD WATERS.
FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS. IF
OUTDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE
INDOORS IF POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS
AND AVOID USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG
UNNECESSARY ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.
LAT...LON 3608 8144 3607 8144 3603 8157 3604 8175
3605 8175 3607 8173 3607 8175 3609 8176
3611 8180 3613 8159
MCAVOYSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
121 PM EDT SUN JUL 24 2011
NCZ064-065-241745-
HENDERSON-TRANSYLVANIA-
121 PM EDT SUN JUL 24 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN TRANSYLVANIA AND
SOUTHERN HENDERSON COUNTIES THROUGH 145 PM EDT...
AT 116 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR CEDAR MOUNTAIN...OR 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
BREVARD...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.
* OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO LITTLE
RIVER AND CEDAR MOUNTAIN.
FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. IF OUTDOORS...STAY
AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE INDOORS IF
POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID
USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.
LAT...LON 3519 8243 3516 8252 3516 8255 3514 8258
3513 8262 3512 8263 3513 8265 3512 8267
3513 8268 3510 8269 3510 8271 3522 8277
3530 8251
MCAVOYSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 149 PM EDT SUN JUL 24 2011 NCZ502-241815- GREATER CALDWELL- 149 PM EDT SUN JUL 24 2011 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CENTRAL CALDWELL COUNTY THROUGH 215 PM EDT... AT 142 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES NORTHEAST OF LENOIR...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH. * OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO KINGS CREEK. WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. IF OUTDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE INDOORS IF POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES. LAT...LON 3602 8136 3587 8138 3592 8155 3599 8154 MCAVOY
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
202 PM EDT SUN JUL 24 2011
SCZ003-006-241830-
GREATER GREENVILLE-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-
202 PM EDT SUN JUL 24 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHERN GREENVILLE COUNTY
THROUGH 230 PM EDT...
AT 154 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR MARIETTA...OR 13 MILES NORTH OF DOWNTOWN
GREENVILLE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
* OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO FURMAN
UNIVERSITY...TRAVELERS REST...TIGERVILLE...MARIETTA AND CLEVELAND.
WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. IF OUTDOORS...STAY
AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE INDOORS IF
POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID
USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.
LAT...LON 3499 8254 3500 8254 3501 8254 3501 8256
3505 8259 3513 8247 3504 8231 3489 8247
MCAVOYSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
229 PM EDT SUN JUL 24 2011
NCZ033-501-503>505-241915-
AVERY-BURKE MOUNTAINS-CALDWELL MOUNTAINS-GREATER BURKE-MCDOWELL
MOUNTAINS-
229 PM EDT SUN JUL 24 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHERN MCDOWELL...NORTHWESTERN
BURKE...SOUTHERN AVERY AND WESTERN CALDWELL COUNTIES THROUGH 315 PM
EDT...
AT 224 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR ASHFORD...OR 7 MILES EAST OF SPRUCE PINE...
MOVING EAST AT 5 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
ASHFORD...
WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
INTENSE LIGHTNING IS ALSO ANTICIPATED WITH THIS STORM. IF
OUTDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE
INDOORS IF POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS
AND AVOID USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG
UNNECESSARY ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.
LAT...LON 3595 8167 3591 8169 3589 8173 3587 8171
3572 8177 3584 8207 3588 8203 3587 8200
3589 8198 3591 8198 3594 8203 3602 8200
JPTSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
259 PM EDT SUN JUL 24 2011
NCZ035-036-241945-
ALEXANDER-IREDELL-
259 PM EDT SUN JUL 24 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT ALEXANDER AND WESTERN IREDELL
COUNTIES THROUGH 345 PM EDT...
AT 258 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR ELLENDALE...OR 4 MILES WEST OF
TAYLORSVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
TAYLORSVILLE...
STONY POINT...
WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
INTENSE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. IF
OUTDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE
INDOORS IF POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS
AND AVOID USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG
UNNECESSARY ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.
LAT...LON 3603 8091 3579 8092 3581 8114 3583 8115
3582 8121 3583 8129 3601 8129
JPTThe Roanoke radar (KFCX), 134 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:34 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Multiple trees were blown down off Cattlemans Rd, with one tree on a vehicle. Another tree was blown down on Mountain View Rd.
A power pole was blown down on Chipley Ford Rd and a tree down on Ingram Rd near Whites Farm Rd, about 5 miles north of Statesville.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, July 2011
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 339586, 339587.